Dhaka: For the first time, Bangladesh`s
Election Commission (EC) has recognized sex workers among the
list of 15 professional groups in the country`s new electoral
database and national identity cards.

Previously, they had to register themselves in `Others`
category in the list of professionals while filling up the
prescribed forms for voter list and national identity cards.

"If anyone wants to put sex work as a profession, we will
recognise that," Election Commissioner Sakhawat Hossain said.
Sex is a taboo in Muslim majority Bangladesh, but a woman
can register herself as a prostitute through district
magistrates.

No official figure was available immediately to ascertain
the number of sex workers in the country.